The invention relates to a communication unit having a housing part provided with means for entering information, and a slide cover slidable relatively to the housing part. In one position the slide cover will at least partly cover the means for entering information, while said means are freely accessible in another position of the slide cover.
Both slidable covers and pivotal flips are widely used to protect the keypad against unintended use and against dirt from the surroundings.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,772 describes a phone having a pivotal flip that enables the keys when the flip is closed. GB 2,235,606 discloses a phone having a slide cover carrying a microphone. International design bulletins DM/039951 and DM/039675 show two phones having detachable slides.
In accordance with the invention there is provided a communication unit having a housing part provided with a set of tracks along which a slide assembly is slidable relatively to the housing part, and said slide assembly includes a cover part and a set of rod-shaped sliding rails extending from said cover part in the sliding direction for being received in said set of tracks on the housing part. It is hereby ensured that a substantial part of the slide rail will remain in the track even when the slide is fully extended. This makes it easier to control the force required to move the slide. According to a preferred embodiment, the sliding rails will be slightly curved and substantially the entire length of the rails will be received in the corresponding tracks on the main body of the communication unit. According to a preferred embodiment, the track on the outer side of the main body of the communication unit terminates in channels continuing in tracks internally in the main body of the communication unit.
The invention provides a communication unit having a slide cover which, in an open position of the slide, allows improved access to the information input means and still provides a good mechanical connection between the slide and the main body of the unit.
Preferably, the slide assembly comprises the cover part which at least partly covers said means for entering information in one position of said slide assembly, and a slide part carrying said set of sliding rails. These two parts may be provided as an injection moulded plastics item, and as a punched and/or bent sheet metal item, respectively. By using the inherent resilient properties of the items, these parts may advantageously be snapped together.
According to a preferred embodiment, the connection to the microphone is established by providing a set of conducting paths on a wall of the cover part of the slide assembly facing the housing in continuation of one of the sliding rails. Resilient connector legs extending through the housing wall engage respective paths for connecting the microphone with an electric circuit inside the communication unit.
The resilient connector legs are integrated in a connector comprising a carrier structure carrying a set of telescopic legs. The carrier structure is used for fixing the connector relatively to the housing of the communication unit. Each of the telescopic legs comprises a tip part biased to an extended position by biasing means, e.g. formed as springs internally in the legs. A reliable connection with said set of conducting paths for the microphone is obtain hereby.
Due to the uniform force required to move the slide, the communication unit, according the preferred embodiment, may furthermore comprise a slide release mechanism including a biased mechanism for moving the slide assembly to a position in which the means for entering information are accessible, and a release mechanism for activating said biased mechanism. The biased mechanism co-operates with at least one of said set of sliding rails extending from said cover part.
According to a preferred embodiment, the slide release mechanism includes a guide profile along which said at least one sliding rail is movable, a traveller fixed to said at least one sliding rail and guided by the guide profile, means for biasing the traveller in a position in which the cover part at least partly covers said means for entering information, and locking means for locking the traveller in this position. The locking means includes a push button pivotally attached to one end of the guide profile and extending through the housing wall, a resilient latch spring fixed to the same end of the guide profile and engaging the traveller, and said push button is provided with a pin acting on the resilient latch spring for releasing the traveller when the push button is pressed. The biasing means includes a coil spring aligned with said at least one sliding rail and having one end attached to the traveller and the other end attached to the housing of the communication unit.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the communication unit includes means for disabling the information entering means, e.g. disabling the key of a keypad. The disabling means includes a key for confirming an activity suggested in a display of the communication unit. When the communication unit detects that the slide has been moved to a closed position, the disabling means suggests disabling the means for entering information. The means for entering information are disabled if the user confirms the suggestion by pressing the key. According to the preferred embodiment, the key is a soft key and the functionality of the soft key will change to an idle mode functionality after a time-out period when the action has not been accepted.
The invention furthermore relates to a front cover for a communication unit, said front cover including a housing part through which means for entering information may be accessed, and a slide assembly. The housing part is provided with a set of tracks along which the slide assembly is slidable relatively to the housing part. The slide assembly includes a cover part, and a set of rod-shaped sliding rails extends from said cover part in the sliding direction for being received in said set of tracks on the housing part.
The invention furthermore relates to a slide assembly for mounting on a housing part provided with means for entering information, said slide assembly being movable along a set of tracks on the housing part, wherein the slide assembly includes a cover part and a set of rod-shaped sliding rails extending from said cover part in the sliding direction for being received in said set of tracks on the housing part.
Furthermore a microphone connector according to the invention comprises a carrier structure carrying a set of telescopic legs, each of these comprising a tip part biased to an extended position by biasing means associated with the respective telescopic legs.